I got a call in the spring to install a P&M BL2840, first impression of unit I was impressed, I went through the homeowners current system, a indoor Harmon, nice unit, about 12 years old, He really had no complaints except it roasted them out of there house to the point they had to valve off zones because it got to warm. digging in a little deeper, who ever plumbed it up did it in such a fasion that the woodboiler pump was pumping right by his flow checks and heating his whole house non stop. I told him what was happening but he was looking to get the fire danger outdoors and bingo I got the job. I started by gutting his current supply and return manifolds, got rid of the three pumps he was running, built a nice new manifold assembly with zone valves and one grundfos pump, throughout the summer we got the inground piping done, 60 plate HE, and set the stove. I think it was mid september when we lit it off, we also hooked a zone up in his 2500 sf shop and used an old used Modine fan coil to heat that (temporary). all and all the system runs great, throughout the job another guy in town got one which I hooked up also. I liked them so much I sold my Central and got one myself, what a great unit, Im getting between 12 & 14 hour burn times and about a third less wood than my central. anybody else having good luck with a P&M out there?
Portage and Main
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Don't forget MORE WOOD
But hey If I ever went back to a OWB the BL portage and main would probably be my choice.
gg
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Just over a 22 cubic foot firebox. Just for comparison Econoburn 200 has 8 cubic foot box.
I do really feel the BL Portage and Main have very well thought out features and design for a OWB.
gg
I do really feel the BL Portage and Main have very well thought out features and design for a OWB.
gg
I have a portage and main bl28-40 and love it. Outstanding quality. They are a little more expensive but I think it is worth it especially after looking at others.
flyingcow
Minister of Fire
From the info I've read I'd get a P n M if I wanted an OWB. Not your old mans OWB. A much nicer better performing unit.
Any different in the smoke out put compared to the old one?
Any different in the smoke out put compared to the old one?
On my fourth year with my 250 P&M love it 1/3 the wood of my old one.Funny
thing it seems like the colder it gets the better it works sitting here wind howling
snow blowing house(old farm house) is at 71* just love it well worth the extra $$.
thing it seems like the colder it gets the better it works sitting here wind howling
snow blowing house(old farm house) is at 71* just love it well worth the extra $$.
Really debating on one of these units. Everyone around here has central boilers that smoke more than a steam engine. Are the phase 2 units better with their smoke output? I have a couple locations I can install one as well as a covered builidng. The best location would put it about 100 feet from my neighbors house. I do not want to be one of those neighbors but it would be the best location . I only have neighbors on my sides and we're around 300-350 feet apart. I have seen some phase 2 units running on YouTube and they pUT out zero smoke. But what happens when they idle down and fire back up? Has to be some smoke?
If you have a neighbor 100' from the wood boiler I would make a prediction right now that you with have issues. Even with my Econoburn running with storage. I occasionally get some smoke from my impatience on a cold start or a bridge. I am talking a couple times in a month maybe. But if I had a neighbor at 100' away and they happened to be home I could see how it could become a complaint. Be very cautious on your selection any type of boiler allowed to idle could quickly become a problem if you put it that close to someone else.
A indoor gasification boiler with a high stack and storage will minimize the problem by getting any smoke higher off the ground and reducing the actual running or burning time of the boiler. Even on the very coldest days my boiler typically has a fire going 2 hours in morning and 4-6 hours in the evening. The rest of the time it is off. Another good option would be a Garn as the exhaust is mostly steam or condensation. Garn run time would probably be less because of the high btu output to charge tank. It would also more than likely be cheaper than the Central Boiler phase II.
If you do a quick search here about recent troubles with a new Central Boiler phase II I think your question will be answered.
gg
flyingcow
Minister of Fire
E-classic, my neighbor/friend has one. Not impressed. And it does smoke pretty good. And his wood is seasoned. He also cleans and maintains it well.
The 100 ft away spot was just the most ideal beaca use it is where I dump wood/split. My other locations is under a lean to which is off the backside of my detached garage. I actually asked my insurance agent today if thay would be ok. He said he sees no problem but will look into it further before I drop money. If i put it in the lean to then the boiler would be 250 ish feet away from the neighbor and smoke would have to hit 2 buildings before making it to their house. The smoke would also have to have some prepretty odd winds even at 100 feet. Smoke should rise and it doesn't normally blow thay direction. In fact all year I burn limbs/leaves about 70 feet from his back door and smoke has never blown directly toward his house. I make sure to ask first but he said it has never effected them. The neighborder next to them has an older central boiler thay bellows smoke atleast once a day but hasn't bothered either of us to date. The whole storage thing has me confused how in the hell would I get 500 gallon propane tanks into my basement? Also I was on a wood furnace/wood chute kick but the wife said no to wood in basement
The lean to is your best bet. Load in the dry and keep wood dry. Garn is a very nice unit, sounds like PandM would also be a good choice.
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brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Just curious, what is her aversion to a lil wood in the basement? You could put in 2 or 3 Kuuma Vaporfire wood furnaces for what you are gonna tie up in a OWB, and be 99% smoke free with the Kuuma...
Well I took her down there and explained where I would stack because we have a perfect location in the utility room to hold about 2.5-3 cord. It is sectioned off but I will try and seal it up. She's doesn't like the idea of bugs yet is ok with wood in living room for our stove. But she's more accepting to it. We also have large basement windows and I could easily take a drainage pipe cut it and make a great chute for cheap. I think my best plan so fsr is a tundra/adding a a heat pump and have propane as backup. I can do the tundra/heatpump for less than the outdoor boiler. All while consuming less wood less $ and a heat pump would take over our shoulder season burning which would be great itself!
The Weimar
Member
I have a CB EClassic 2400 and it does smoke, although very little. I burn very seasoned wood and it heats my 2800 sf home and 625 sf garage nicely. The CB has other issues that are of much more concern than how much wood it burns or the amount of smoke. I would shop for another model if I could but the investment has been made. Looks like I will use about 11 cord this season, 1/11/2014 to 5/1/2015. Hows that compare ?
The Weimar
The Weimar
Wow with a cord of wood having 128 sq. feet does that mean if you stoked this thing good once every 12 hours you would burn a cord of wood in three days?
On mine i dont fill it all the way up. I stack one row in the middle to about the middle of the door in height and it lasts at least 12 hrs and not no cord of wood. If i was to fill mine completely up, it would probably last a full day or two. Or maybe longer
The Weimar
Member
I think you may need to check your math, and your info
Cord = 128 cubic feet. That's 4'x4'x8'... An awfully big firebox... A 22 cf firebox would be big, but not out of the question, the 8 cf firebox sounds incredibly small.....2x2x2?? The reaction chamber on the CB 2400 is bigger than that!
The Weimar
Cord = 128 cubic feet. That's 4'x4'x8'... An awfully big firebox... A 22 cf firebox would be big, but not out of the question, the 8 cf firebox sounds incredibly small.....2x2x2?? The reaction chamber on the CB 2400 is bigger than that!
The Weimar
maple1
Minister of Fire
Who/which post were you referring to?
EDIT: My firebox is 3 cu.ft. - not an OWB though.
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